Idli Dosa Batter - Bare Necessities!

Idli and Dosa are staple foods in India, especially in the southern regions. The soft and fluffy Idlis are equally matched in taste and flavour by crispy Dosas. They both come in different varieties, and you can add your flavours to prepare different types of Idlis and Dosas. In south India, there are more than 20 varieties of Idlis and more than 100 varieties of Dosas. Today, Idli and Dosa are well-known dishes worldwide, and people savour it with different types of curries, sambar, and chutney. Preparing crisp, soft, and tasty Idli and Dosa is an art in itself. Knowing the recipe for making these dishes would add to your culinary skills. The soft little idlis are made perfect by adding the deliciousness of the perfectly-made batter. If the batter is fermented properly and the ingredients are mixed proportionately, the steamed idli will turn out as delicious as your family expected it to be. The neutral taste of idlis can be complemented with the side dish of your choices like tamarind chutney, coconut chutney, or sambhar. No matter what you choose, remember to use the best batter for your idli as the entire taste of the recipe depends on it. Similarly, the crispy delicious dosas are made using a well-prepared batter. This Indian version of pancakes is the staple food of South Indians due to its taste and nutritional value. To correctly make a crispy dosa, you must always use a thin batter that has the right proportion of salt and other ingredients mixed for taste. Once you have the batter ready, get started with the main preparation of the recipes.

See more related recipes:
1. Vegetable Idli Recipe
2. Mini Masala Tadka Idli Recipe
3. Green Gram Idli Recipe
Have a look at our 60-second recipe videos!

Idli Dosa Batter Info:

Prep Time

5 Mins

Cook Time

20 Mins

Total Time

25 Mins

Cuisine

South Indian

Category

Breakfast or Snack

Ingredients required to make idli and dosas:

For Dosa:

  • Required quantity of Dosa Batter
  • Salt to taste
  • Ghee or butter
  • Paper towels
  • Ice-cold water

For Idli:

  • Required quantity of Idli Batter
  • Water for boiling
  • Salt to taste

Step-by-Step Instructions:

Preparing Idlis:

  • Take your ready-made batter out and transfer it in a large bowl.
  • Sometimes, the idlis are not well cooked due to the air bubbles in the batter. So, mix the batter gently to create a smooth and uniform texture with the required consistency.
  • Check the salt level in the batter. If you need it, add the required quantity of salt to taste and mix the batter again.
  • Now take a pressure cooker or idli steamer on the gas and boil the required quantity of water without adding the idli plates.
  • Meanwhile, grease the idli plates with oil and pour the batter in the molds.
  • Ensure that the batter is of thick consistency.
  • Check the cooker or steamer to see if the water has started bubbling up rapidly.
  • If it has, insert the idli stand in it and leave it for about 10 minutes on medium high flame.
  • Switch off the stove after 10 minutes but don’t remove the stand immediately. Wait for two minutes.
  • Remove the idli plates and let them cool for 3 minutes before removing the idlis from the mold.
  • Serve your idlis with chutney or sambhar of your taste.

Preparing Dosas:

  • Grease your pan with the help of a rectangular folded paper towel. Dip this towel in ghee and squeeze out the excess before lightly applying it on the pan.
  • On medium high flame, spread a ladleful of batter in the shape of the pan.
  • Dip a spoon in the bowl containing ghee and spread it over the dosa to make it crispy. You can also hold the pan up and swirl it around to spread the ghee uniformly.
  • Once the dosa appears cooked, fold it in the desired shape and serve it with the side dish of your choice.

Before You Go…